Bedding for a mattress

ABSTRACT

A bedding system including one or more bedding components is provided for use with a bed. The bedding component includes a fitted sheet, a top sheet, a pillow case and/or a comforter. The fabric panel forming the bedding component may include air vents integrated into the fabric panel. Additionally, the fabric panel may further include an activatable material integrated into and/or disposed in proximity with the fabric panel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/113,057, entitled “Bedding for a Mattress”, filed Aug. 27, 2018,which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 62/550,678, entitled “Sleep Recovery SystemIncluding Bedding Components with Air Vents and/or Bioceramics”, filedAug. 27, 2017, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference in their entireties for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward bedding (e.g., bed sheetsincluding top sheets and fitted sheets, pillow cases, comforters, etc.)that provides comfort and assists in recovery of the body during periodsof sleep and rest.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Athletic exercise and, in particular, athletic activity at an elitelevel (e.g., in professional and other sports), can involve periods atwhich a person (e.g., athlete) engages in intensive strength and/orcardiovascular performance of his or her body followed by recoveryperiods in which the person must rest her or her body. Advances in sportscience have shown that the recovery period for an athlete is just asimportant as periods of exercise in maintaining body strength, healthand cardiovascular fitness. Sleep over a 24-hour period is a veryimportant component for body recovery after periods of exerciseactivity. For example, an elite athlete that trains for a particularsport for several hours in a given day must also engage in sufficientrecovery time for his or her body, where such recovery includes asufficient period of consecutive hours of sleep in the evening.

The average time period of sleep in a given day for a typical person(athlete or non-athlete) is about 8 hours (or at least ⅓ of the day).Given that a good night of rest is important to body recovery, a numberof commercially available types of sleep aids are available to enhance aperson's ability to achieve a restful sleep, where such sleep aids rangefrom types of bedding (e.g., extra soft silk bedding sheets and/orbedding sheets with large thread counts, special types of pillows toenhance a user's head and neck position during sleep, etc.) toelectronic devices that provide white (or other) noise, monitor sleepcycles, etc. to enhance and/or monitor a user's ability to fall intodeep (e.g., REM) sleep.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A bedding system for use with a bed includes one or more beddingcomponents (e.g., fabric structures including a fitted sheet, a bedsheet, a comforter and/or a pillow case). In an embodiment, the beddingcomponent includes air vents extending through and disposed at selectedlocations along the fabric structure. The bedding component may furtherinclude a ceramic material integrated with one or more surfaces of thefabric structure and/or provided with insulation material within thefabric structure (e.g., bioceramic material incorporated with insulationmaterial within a comforter).

In an example embodiment, a sleep recovery system for use with a bedcomprises a bedding component including a fabric panel including a firstsurface and a second surface that opposes the first surface, where thefabric panel includes a plurality of air vents formed as aperturesdefined at the first surface, and the fabric panel further includes abioceramic material integrated and/or disposed in proximity with thefabric panel.

In further example embodiments, a sleep recovery system includes atleast two bedding fabric structures or bedding components selected fromthe group consisting of a pillow case, a fitted bed sheet, a top bedsheet, and a bed comforter, where the fitted sheet comprises a pluralityof fabric panels including a top panel and a plurality of side panelsextending downward from the first panel to facilitate securing of thefitted sheet around a portion of the bed, the top sheet comprises afabric panel, and the pillow case comprises a plurality of fabricpanels. A panel surface of one or more of the bedding componentsincludes at least one sleep recovery aid or feature selected from thegroup consisting of a plurality of air vents formed as engineeredapertures in the panel surface, and a bioceramic material printed on thepanel surface.

In still further example embodiments, each bedding fabric structure orfabric component can be a woven textile structure that includes aplurality of warp yarns and a plurality of weft yarns. In addition, eachvent within the fabric structure can be formed as an aperture disposedat an intersection between a warp channel and a weft channel, where thewarp channel is defined as an elongated gap along the warp of thetextile structure, the warp channel formed by removal of a warp yarn ofthe plurality of warp yarns, and the weft channel is defined as anelongated gap along the weft of the textile structure, the weft channelformed by removed of a weft yarn from the plurality of weft yarns.

The above and still further features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent upon consideration of the followingdetailed description of specific embodiments thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of a bedding system for use with amattress in accordance with example embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2A illustrates a schematic view of a fitted sheet for the beddingsystem of FIG. 1, including a lower surface of a panel of the fittedsheet.

FIG. 2B illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a comforter forthe bedding system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2C illustrates a schematic view of a pillow case for the beddingsystem of FIG. 1, where the pillow case is turned inside out to revealan interior surface of a panel that forms part of the pillow case, wherea portion of a bioceramic pattern printed on the interior surface isdepicted.

FIG. 3A illustrates a schematic of a woven textile for forming a beddingfabric structure for one or more bedding components of the beddingsystem of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3B illustrates a cross sectional view of the textile of FIG. 3A,taken along line 3B.

FIG. 3C illustrates the textile of FIG. 3A, showing dissolvable yarnswithin the structure.

FIG. 3D illustrates the textile of FIG. 3C, showing dissolved yarns andengineered apertures or air vents in the textile.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic of another woven textile in accordancewith the invention, showing removal of a yarn from the structure and theformation of an aperture.

FIG. 5 is a portion of the textile structure for a bedding component ofFIG. 1, showing air vents formed within the textile structure due toremoval of yarns from the structure and the formation of engineeredapertures or air vents in the structure.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart depicting an example process for printing aceramic material onto a fabric surface of a bedding component inaccordance with an example embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7A depicts an example embodiment of a printed pattern that can beapplied to surface portions of bedding components of the sleep recoverysystem of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7B is an enlarged view of a portion of the printed pattern of FIG.7A.

Like reference numerals have been used to identify like elementsthroughout this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying figures which form a part hereof wherein like numeralsdesignate like parts throughout, and in which is shown, by way ofillustration, embodiments that may be practiced. It is to be understoodthat other embodiments may be utilized, and structural or logicalchanges may be made without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to betaken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments is defined bythe appended claims and their equivalents.

Aspects of the disclosure are disclosed in the accompanying description.Alternate embodiments of the present disclosure and their equivalentsmay be devised without parting from the spirit or scope of the presentdisclosure. It should be noted that any discussion herein regarding “oneembodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an exemplary embodiment”, and the likeindicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature,structure, or characteristic, and that such particular feature,structure, or characteristic may not necessarily be included in everyembodiment. In addition, references to the foregoing do not necessarilycomprise a reference to the same embodiment. Finally, irrespective ofwhether it is explicitly described, one of ordinary skill in the artwould readily appreciate that each of the particular features,structures, or characteristics of the given embodiments may be utilizedin connection or combination with those of any other embodimentdiscussed herein.

Various operations may be described as multiple discrete actions oroperations in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understandingthe claimed subject matter. However, the order of description should notbe construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily orderdependent. In particular, these operations may not be performed in theorder of presentation. Operations described may be performed in adifferent order than the described embodiment. Various additionaloperations may be performed and/or described operations may be omittedin additional embodiments.

For the purposes of the present disclosure, the phrase “A and/or B”means (A), (B), or (A and B). For the purposes of the presentdisclosure, the phrase “A, B, and/or C” means (A), (B), (C), (A and B),(A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C). In addition, the phrase “at leastone of A and B” means that either A or B is present or that both A and Bare present.

The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like, as usedwith respect to embodiments of the present disclosure, are synonymous.

A bedding system includes bedding fabric structures or beddingcomponents configured to be implemented for use with a bed mattress. Thebedding components can include any combination of a fitted sheet thatfits directly over a top surface and side surfaces of a mattress when inuse, a top or flat sheet that is placed over the fitted sheet when inuse, one or more pillow cases (i.e., one or more sheets with sheet edgessecured in a manner to form a partially enclosed pocket, cavity orenclosure therebetween and an opening at one end to receive a pillowwithin the pocket), and a comforter (i.e., typically a plurality ofsheets connected together via stitching or in any other suitable mannerto form a fully enclosed pocket, cavity or enclosure therebetween, wherethe enclosed pocket includes some form of insulation material) that istypically disposed over the top sheet when in use. A bedding system mayinclude the different bedding components individually and/or in anysuitable combinations, such as a bedding set which typically includesthe fitted sheet, top sheet and one or more (e.g., two) pillow cases, ora comforter set which includes the comforter and the bedding set or anyother combination (one or more) of the other bedding components.

The bedding components for the sleep recovery system can be suitablydimensioned to fit any conventional or other types of mattresses (e.g.square or rectangular shaped mattresses) including, without limitation,traditional king size mattresses (e.g., mattresses having dimensions ofabout 76 inch by 80 inch), traditional twin size mattresses (e.g.,mattresses having dimensions of about 38 inches wide by 75 inches long),traditional twin size extra-long mattresses (e.g., mattresses havingdimensions of about 38 inches wide by 80 inches long), traditional fullsize mattresses (e.g., mattresses having dimensions of about 54 incheswide by 75 inches long), traditional queen size mattresses (e.g.,mattresses having dimensions of about 60 inches wide by 80 inches long),traditional king sized mattresses (e.g., mattresses having dimensions ofabout 76 inches wide by 80 inches long), and traditional California kingsized mattresses (e.g., mattresses having dimensions of about 72 incheswide by 84 inches long), or any custom or non-standard size mattressconstructions.

Referring to FIG. 1, an example embodiment of a bedding system 10includes one or more bedding components including a fitted sheet 20, atop sheet 30, a comforter 40 and two pillow cases 50, where each of thefitted sheet 20, the top sheet 30, and the comforter 40 is suitablydimensioned to fit over a portion of a mattress 70 while each pillowcase 50 is suitably dimensioned to contain or encase a pillow (notshown).

The fitted sheet 20 of the bedding system 10 comprises a plurality ofpanels including a top panel and a side panel extending from each sideof the top panel, where an interior or lower surface of the top panelfaces a direction at which each side panel extends from the top panel,and an upper or user-facing surface 28 of the top panel faces away fromthe direction at which each side panel extends from the top panel. Inparticular, referring to FIG. 1, the fitted sheet 20 includes a toppanel or body 26 defining a top side of the fitted sheet, two side orlateral panels 22 disposed at opposing lengthwise ends or lengthwiseside edges of the top panel 26, and two length side panels 24 (e.g., anupper side panel and a lower side panel) disposed along opposingwidthwise ends or widthwise side edges of the top panel 26. The sidepanels 22, 24 may be formed integrally with the top panel 26 or, asillustrated, may be separate panels connected to the top panel viastitching. The top panel 26 defines an upper (user-facing) surface 28that faces a user when the fitted sheet 20 is placed onto the mattress70. The top panel 26 further includes a lower or underside surface 27(see FIG. 2A) that faces away from the user and toward the mattress whenthe fitted sheet 20 is placed onto the mattress 70. With thisconfiguration, the fitted sheet 20 defines an open cavity between thetop panel 26 and side panels 22, 24. Thus, when the fitted sheet 20 isfit over the mattress 70, a portion of the mattress fits within thefitted sheet cavity and the lower surface 27 of the fitted sheet 20 liessubstantially adjacent or in close proximity with (e.g., contacts) a topor facing surface of the mattress 70, with each side panels 22, 24engaging a corresponding side wall of the mattress.

Resilient material can be provided at or along the lower or distal edges25 of the side panels 22, 24 of the fitted sheet 20 that stretches andconforms to the sides of the mattress 70 when the fitted sheet 20 issecured over the mattress. In an example embodiment, the resilientmaterial comprises an elastic fabric band 23 disposed along the distalor bottom end 25 of the side panels, spanning the circumference of thesheet 20. Additionally, disposed on the interior surface of the fabricband 23 is a layer or film 25 of a resilient, tacky (high friction)polymer operable to frictionally engage the mattress surface. Thepolymer is an elastomeric polymer or an elastomer. The high frictionpolymer includes, but is not limited to, silicone rubber. The elastomerincreases the frictional forces between the band 23 and the mattress,maintaining the sheet thereon. In addition, the polymer may increase therecovery power of the band 23, increasing the biasing force against themattress. The film covers a portion of the interior (mattress-facingsurface) of the band. In an embodiment, the film covers 10%-60% of theinterior surface area of the band 23 (e.g., the height of the band).Coverage less than this may result in poor surface engagement, whilecoverage above this range inhibits the stretch of the band. With thisconfiguration, the band 23 expands (stretches) for positioning on themattress, but then retracts to place the inner surface of the band incontact with the mattress, biasing the band in contact therewith.

This further enhances the engagement between the fitted sheet and themattress to limit or prevent movement of the fitted sheet in relation tothe mattress when the fitted sheet is placed onto the mattress. In otherwords, the resilient band and the silicone film form a continuousresilient composite structure around the lower or bottom edges of theside panels (and therefore also around the entire peripheral dimensionsof the fitted sheet) capable of enhancing the securement and frictionalfit between the fitted sheet and the mattress to which the fitted sheetis secured. This is in contrast with conventional sheets which lack thefilm of high friction polymer.

The top sheet 30 comprises a body with and upper trim or header disposedalong the top edge of the body, a first lateral trim and a secondlateral trim along the lateral edges of the body, and a bottom trimalong the body edge of the body. The body and trims cooperate to definea bottom or user-facing surface 32 and a top or opposing surface 34(i.e., the upward facing surface). The body may be a single layer offabric (e.g., a non-stretch woven fabric). The trim, in contrast,possesses a two-layered fabric construction formed by, e.g., by foldingthe body fabric over on itself. As shown in FIG. 1, the top sheet 30rests over the fitted sheet 20 when applied to the mattress 70, wherethe user-facing surface 32 is facing downward toward the user andmattress. During typical use, a user rests on the mattress 70 betweenthe fitted sheet 20 and the top sheet 30.

The comforter 40 comprises two fabric panels, in particular a first orbottom panel 42 and a second or top panel 44, where the two panels aresecured together at their edges in any suitable manner (e.g., viastitching) to define a full enclosure or a closed cavity between thepanels 42, 44. At least the bottom panel 42 includes an outer,user-facing surface 43. Referring to FIG. 2B (which depicts across-section of the comforter 40), disposed along an interior orenclosure-facing surface 47 of each panel 42, 44 is a mesh or scrimlayer 45. Disposed within the enclosure is an insulation material thatcomprises a combination of mixed fibers or filaments 46 with insulatingproperties, including bioceramic fibers (described in greater detailbelow). In use, the comforter 40 is typically placed over the top sheet30 with user-facing surface 43 facing downward (toward the mattress 70and the user).

The mesh or scrim layer 45 can comprise a suitable textile material(e.g., polyester) having opening or pores of a suitable size so as toprovide a desired porosity to the layer 45 while substantiallyminimizing or preventing passage of bioceramic material and/orinsulation material (e.g., in the form of fibers) through the layer 45.In other words, the mesh or scrim layer 45 substantially limits orprevents passage or escape of insulation material from the enclosure orcavity defined between the panels 42, 44 of the comforter 40. By way ofexample, the scrim may be a textile such as a nonwoven textile formed ofnatural strands (yarns or filaments), or of synthetic strands (yarns orfilaments) such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In an embodiment,the scrim possesses a basis weight in the range of 2 gsm (grams/m²) to30 gsm, such as a range of 5 gsm to 20 gsm (e.g., 7 gsm).

Each pillow case 50 includes two panels, an upper panel 52 and a lowerpanel 54, that are secured at their edges in any suitable manner (e.g.,via stitching), with the exception that the edges of the two panels arenot secured together at one lengthwise end 55 of each pillow case. Thisconfiguration defines a cavity or partial (i.e., not fully enclosed)enclosure between the two panels 52, 54 within which a pillow can beinserted and enclosed by the pillow case. Each of the upper panel 52 andlower panel 54 includes an outer or user-facing surface 58. As depictedin FIG. 2C (where a pillow case 50 is turned inside out), each of theupper and lower panels 52, 54 also includes an interior or cavity facingsurface 57 (i.e., an underside surface to the user-facing surface). Inuse, the user typically rests his or her head on the pillow enclosed ina pillow case 50 with the upper panel outer surface 58 facing toward theuser's head. As described in further detail herein, each pillow case canbe configured such that its panels can serve as an upper panel 52 orlower panel 54 depending upon how the pillow case is aligned in relationto the user's head during use. Alternatively, each pillow case can beconfigured such that the upper panel 52 is different from the lowerpanel 54 (where the two panels are clearly marked or identified so thatthe user can correctly align the upper panel 52 toward the user's headduring use).

While certain bedding components have been described herein as includingcertain panels, it is noted that similar bedding components can also beconstructed with fewer or more panels for a particular application.Further, the thickness of the fabric panels or fabric sheets forming thebedding components can be of any conventional or other suitablethicknesses and/or utilizing any suitable range of thread counts along agiven area of the fabric panel or sheet.

The bedding components 20, 30, 40, 50 of the system 10 are formed of atextile including strands manipulated such that they interlock. In anembodiment, the strand is a yarn having a substantial length and smallcross-section and is typically formed from one or more filaments orfibers. Filaments have an indefinite length and can be formed ofsynthetic polymers and/or natural materials (e.g., silk, cotton). Yarnscan be formed from filaments having the same or different materials.Fibers, by comparison, have a relatively short length and requirespinning or twisting processes to produce a yarn of suitable length.Common examples of fibers are cotton and wool. As with filaments, yarnsmay be formed from fibers of the same or different materials. The yarnforming the textile structure can be formed of any one or morecombinations of filaments and/or fibers.

Some example types of polymers or other (e.g., natural) materials forforming filaments used to create yarns for the textile structures of thebedding components include, without limitation, polyesters (e.g.,polyethylene terephthalate or PET, polybutylene terephthalate or PBT,etc.), polyolefins (e.g., polyethylene and polypropylene), polyamides(e.g., Nylon), processed cellulose (e.g., rayon, lyocell or cotton),polylactic acid (PLA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyurethanes, and anysuitable combinations or copolymers thereof. The selection of particulartypes of polymers can provide different properties to the filaments and,in turn, to the yarns formed from such filaments. For example, filamentsformed from different polymer materials can impart different degrees ofelasticity or elastomeric/stretch properties to the yarns and thetextile structure formed of the yarns.

Several types of yarn may be utilized to form textile structures forbedding components. Spun yarn includes a number of fibers twistedtogether. Zero-twist yarn includes a number of filaments laid togetherwithout twist. Twist yarn includes a number of filaments laid togetherwith a degree of twist. A monofilament yarn includes a single filamentwith or without twist.

The textiles may be produced through various production methods,including nonwoven processes, knitting processes, and weaving processes.Nonwoven textiles are webs of filaments or fibers connected via bonding,fusing, or interlocking. Knit textiles include consecutive rows of loopsof filaments or fibers, called stitches. As each row progresses, a newloop is pulled through an existing loop. Woven textiles include a set oflengthwise threads (called the warp) interlaced with a set of crossingthreads (called the weft). Knitted textiles are loose, including spacesbetween the loops that permit air to pass therethrough. Accordingly, theknitting process forms a highly breathable fabric. In contrast, woventextiles, while strong and durable, are dense and tight. Conventionalwoven textiles therefore possess poor breathability and poor airpermeability.

In accordance with embodiments of the invention, the textile includes anarray of apertures or openings formed integrally into the textilestructure of the bedding component, the apertures permitting fluid flow(e.g., airflow) through the bedding component. In conventional bedding,a layer of knit spacer fabric or a knitted mesh layer is typicallyprovided as an additional layer in composite structure (e.g., the meshor spacer is enclosed in a knitted shell to provide a breathablesystem). Such additional layers increase the weight of the structure, aswell as the costs of formation. In contrast, the apertures according toan embodiment of the invention are incorporated into a single fabriclayer, e.g., by selectively removing strands or strand portions from thetextile structure.

In example embodiments, the textile structure forming the fabric sheetsand/or fabric panels of the bedding components is a woven textilestructure. In weaving, two or more yarns are interlaced so that theyarns they cross each other at substantially right angles to producewoven fabric. The warp yarns (ends) run lengthwise (longitudinally) inthe fabric, while the weft yarns (filling threads or picks) run fromside to side (transversely) in the fabric. The set of lengthwise yarnsor threads (called the warp) are interlaced with a set of crossingthreads (called the weft) via a loom. Several types of weaving patternsmay be utilized to form the textile structure. In plain weaving, thewarp and weft are aligned so they form a simple crisscross pattern.Specifically, each weft thread crosses the warp threads, with a firstwarp thread alternately going over one warp thread and under theadjacent warp thread. The adjacent weft thread inverts this process,with the weft thread crossing under the warp thread the previous threadcrossed over. A basket weave, similar to the plain weave, includes twoor more warp and filling threads woven side by side to resemble aplaited basket. In a satin weave, the face of the fabric consists almostcompletely of warp or filling floats produced in the repeat of theweave. A twill weave is characterized by diagonal lines produced by aseries of floats staggered in the warp direction. A double weaveincludes two systems of warp or filling threads combined such that onlyone is visible on either side. A leno weave includes warp yarns arrangedin pairs, with one warp yarn twisted around another warp yarn betweenpicks of filling yarn.

In accordance with embodiments of the invention, the textile structureforming the bedding components 20, 30, 40, 50 is a woven structureincluding by a plurality of weft runs or yarns and a plurality of warpruns or yarns. After formation of the woven textile, selected warp andweft runs (the yarns defining the run) are removed to form warp channelsand weft channels, respectively. Accordingly, a warp channel ispositioned between warp yarns (separating the warp yarns in the textile)and a weft channel is positioned between weft yarns (separating the weftyarns in the textile). As a result of the channels, the textilestructure includes areas having both warp and weft yarns, areas havingonly one of warp or weft yarns, and areas having neither warp nor weftyarns. The areas lacking one or both of the warp yarns and the weftyarns define apertures forming air vents that improve the airpermeability and/or the breathability of the textile.

The warp and/or weft yarn may be removed in a non-mechanical manner. Inan embodiment, the yarns are removed chemically, e.g., via dissolutionin a solvent. Typically, the entire warp and or weft yarn is removedsuch that the channel extends the entire length and or width of thetextile structure. This process and the resulting aperture structure maybe distinguished from other, conventional aperture-forming processes.For example, the aperture formation process of embodiments of theinvention may be distinguished from mechanical processes that form adiscrete opening in a fabric, e.g., by means such as punching orcutting. The opening may further be distinguished from openings existingas a result of the textile formation process (e.g., a weaving orknitting process) where the opening results from the stitch pattern andnot from processing after the formation of the textile (e.g. a knit meshfabric). Accordingly, the textile structure forming bedding componentsincludes a plurality of engineered apertures or air vents that improvethe air permeability and/or the breathability of the textile. Anengineered aperture (also called a dissolution void) provides an openingor dissolution void in the woven textile structure, which is created byremoval of one or more weft yarns and/or one or more warp yarns from thestructure. In particular, an engineered aperture is an opening formed byremoving intersecting weft and warp yarns. For example, the yarns may beremoved in a non-mechanical manner. In an embodiment, the yarns areremoved chemically, e.g., via dissolution in a solvent. The aperturespass completely through the textile structure to permit fluid (airand/or water vapor) to pass therethrough. Thus, an engineered apertureor air vent in the textile structure for a bedding component is not adiscrete opening in the fabric formed mechanically, e.g., by means suchas punching or cutting. An engineered aperture, moreover, is not anopening existing as a result of the textile formation (e.g., a weavingor knitting process) such as a mesh fabric. Furthermore, an engineeredaperture is not an opening formed by changing a physical parameter ofthe yarns, e.g., by changing yarn dimensions (e.g., via waterabsorption). Finally, an engineered aperture is not an opening formed byetching with a mask. In etching, caustic chemical action removes adiscrete area of the fabric to form the opening. The etchant merelybreaks the weft or warp yarn—the weft or warp yarn is not completelyremoved.

Referring to FIGS. 3A-3D, a textile structure 300 that forms a portion(e.g., a sheet or panel) of a bedding component is formed via weavingand thus includes a plurality of weft yarns 305 (aligned in thedirection W_(WEFT) as shown in FIG. 3A) interwoven with a plurality ofwarp yarns 310 (aligned in the direction W_(WARP) as shown in FIG. 3A)such that the warp and weft yarns cross at substantially right angles toeach other. As best seen in FIG. 3C, the plurality of weft yarns 305includes dissolvable yarns 315A and inert yarns 315B. Similarly, theplurality of warp yarns 310 includes both dissolvable yarns 320A andinert yarns 320B.

The dissolvable yarn can be formed from one or more filaments that arewater soluble, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or a modified,water-soluble polyester. Other types of dissolvable yarns can also beutilized including, without limitation, cellulose fibers or filaments(e.g., rayon, lyocell, and cotton) or a polyamide fiber or filament(e.g., 6,6-nylon) that are dissolvable in a solvent including aluminumsulfate or acid sodium sulfate, or a modified polyester fiber orfilament that is dissolvable in a solvent including sodium hydroxide.The inert or non-dissolvable yarn is formed of filaments or fibers thatdo not dissolve in the solvent that is used to dissolve the removableyarns. In an example embodiment, the two types of yarns used for formingtextile structures for bedding components include inert/non-removableyarns formed from a non-dissolvable polyester material anddissolvable/removable yarns formed from a dissolvable polyester material(i.e., a modified polyester material that differs from the polyestermaterial used to form the non-removable yarns) that dissolves in anaqueous solvent (e.g., water).

After the formation of the textile structure 300, the dissolvable yarns315A, 320A and inert yarns 315B, 320B are exposed to a suitable solventor dissolving agent. The dissolving agent may be applied via any processsuitable for its described purpose (i.e., to apply the agent such thatit contacts the entire textile and forces dissolvable yarns 315A, 315Binto contact with the dissolving agent) including, without limitation,spraying the dissolving agent onto the textile structure, drawing thetextile structure through a solution or bath containing the dissolvingagent, etc. After exposure of the textile structure 300 to thedissolving agent (as shown in FIG. 3D), the inert yarns 315B, 320Bremain intact, while the dissolvable yarns 315A, 320A dissolve in thedissolving agent (i.e., the yarns fall into solution with the solvent).This results in the selected yarns (i.e., the dissolvable yarns 315A,320A) being removed from the textile structure 300 while leaving anelongated weft channel or gap 325 and an elongated warp channel or gap330 where the yarns 315A, 320A previously existed. The channels 325, 330form the apertures for the textile structure 300 which function as theair vents for a bedding component. As illustrated, the entirety of thewarp and/or weft warn is removed from the textile structure 300.

The ratio of inert yarns to dissolvable yarns may be any suitable forits intended purpose (to create a textile structure). In an embodiment,the ratio of inert yarns to dissolvable yarns is from approximately 10:1to approximately 7:3. Stated another way, the structure may include 10%to 50% dissolvable yarns (e.g., 20% to 40% or, by way of furtherexample, approximately 33%). Structures with over 50% dissolvable yarnsbegin to weaken the textile. The arrangement of the yarns within thestructure may also be selected to provide the desired level ofbreathability and strength in the textile. In each of the warp directionand weft direction, the textile structure may include a plurality ofdissolvable yarns positioned between a first and second pluralities ofinert yarns, the first and second pluralities being adjacent theplurality of dissolvable yarns.

The resulting textile structure includes areas of differing yarncombinations. Specifically, it includes a first area or portion 405including both warp and weft yarns, a second area 415 including onlywarp yarns (i.e., where all the weft yarns are removed), and third area410 including only weft yarns (i.e., where all the warp yarns areremoved), and a fourth area 420 including no yarns (i.e., no warp orweft yarns). With this configuration an array of openings is formedincluding rows of apertures oriented along lines running orthogonal toeach other (i.e., a grid pattern of apertures is formed). In addition,as shown in FIG. 3D, two types of apertures are formed: a first or smallaperture 335 possessing a first dimension or diameter and a second orlarger aperture 340 possessing a second dimension or diameter, thesecond dimension being greater than the first dimension. In general, thesmall apertures 335 exist along those areas 410, 415 where only the weftyarn 305 or warp yarn 310 is removed. The large engineered aperture 340exists at the intersection of the warp channel and the weft channel(i.e., the area 420 where the weft 305 and warp 310 yarns are removed).

Thus, the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 3A-3D describes an embodiment inwhich engineered apertures of varying sizes can be selectively placed atdesired locations of the textile structure 300 based upon the placementof dissolvable/removable yarns 315A and inert/non-removable yarns 315Bwithin the textile structure. Depending upon the orientation orplacement of different yarns at selected locations of a textilestructure, engineered apertures can be formed of varying sizes (e.g.,one or more sizes), varying shapes (e.g., one or more different shapes,including polygon such as rectangular or square, round, oval, irregularshaped, etc.). For example, in another embodiment depicted in FIG. 4,either weft yarns or warp yarns may be removed from the textilestructure (instead of both warp and weft yarns being removed as depictedin FIGS. 1A-1D). In particular, a dissolved warp yarn 320A (shown inphantom) is illustrated in FIG. 4, which results in the formation ofengineered apertures having the same or similar shapes and dimensionsalong the warp direction of the textile structure. Other embodiments arealso possible, including warp and weft yarns with different combinationsof dissolvable and non-dissolvable yarns (e.g., any number ofdissolvable warp or weft yarns provided in succession and adjacent toeach other and separated by any number of non-dissolvable warp or weftyarns in succession).

Depending upon the placement and grouping of different warp and weftyarns that are dissolvable/removable and non-dissolvable/non-removable,the formation of engineered apertures form air vents defined by the gapsformed by dissolved yarns from the textile structure. Thus, air ventscan be formed or defined in any arrangement, shapes, sizes and/orpatterns in a bedding component utilizing the techniques for formingengineered apertures as described herein. For example, airvents/engineered apertures can be formed in bedding components havingsizes ranging from a dimension (e.g., length and/or width dimension, ora diameter) that is 10 mm (millimeters) or less, such as 5 mm or less,or 1 mm or less, or even 0.10 mm or less. In some embodiments, small airvents can be formed in a bedding component having a dimension that is0.10 mm or less, while larger apertures can also be formed in thebedding component having a diameter greater than 0.10 mm (e.g., 0.20 to5 mm or greater).

In certain embodiments, the air vents are formed by completelydissolving and removing one or more warp and/or weft yarns from abedding component, such that air vents may be defined along in a lineardirection at which the warp and/or weft yarn(s) were located prior tobeing completely dissolved and removed from the bedding component. Forexample, air vents can be formed along the entire linear dimension of abedding component (e.g., along the entire length and/or entire width ofthe bedding component), where rows and/or columns of air vents can bedefined (e.g., in a crossing pattern or array) along a surface and/orthrough a panel of a bedding component.

Referring to FIG. 5, the resulting textile structure 300 forming thebedding component includes a sheet or panel 500 with weft channels 325and warp channels 330 formed by removal of the corresponding pluralityyarns as described above. The large apertures 540 are disposed at theintersection between weft channels or gaps 325 and warp channels or gaps330. The areas 410, 415 of the channels 325, 330 between the largeapertures 340 include the smaller apertures 335 formed by the spacingbetween adjacent yarns.

Stated another way, along the longitudinal axis of the weft channel 325(where the weft yarn is removed) is the second area 415 in which warpyarns intersect and span the weft channel (e.g., intersecting thechannel at approximately 90 degrees). This area includes the smallerapertures 335. In addition, the weft channel 325 includes the fourtharea 420 where no warp yarn intersects the weft channel (i.e., neitherwarp nor weft yarns are present in the fourth area). This fourth area420 defines the large aperture 340. Similarly, along the longitudinalaxis of the warp channel 330 (where the warp yarn is removed) is thethird area 410 in which weft yarns intersect and span the warp channel(intersecting the warp channel at, e.g., approximately 90 degrees). Thisarea includes the smaller apertures 335. In addition, the warp channel330 includes the fourth area 420 in which no weft yarn intersects thewarp channel (i.e., neither warp nor weft yarns are present in thefourth area). Areas outside of the channels 325, 330 include both warpand weft yarns that are interlocked with each other at selected pointsalong their respective lengths.

Conventional woven textiles, while strong and durable, are dense andtight and therefore have poor breathability and/ poor air permeability.Breathability is the ability of a fabric to allow moisture vapor to passthrough it. Air permeability, in contrast, relates to the porosity orthe ease with which air passes through the textile. Both airpermeability and breathability influence the comfort, warmth, orcoolness of a fabric. For bedding components, this can affect the degreeof restfulness a user achieves while sleeping (e.g., if the user becomestoo warm or too cold while under the bed sheets/comforter).Incorporating apertures or openings (air vents) into the beddingcomponents can facilitate breathability, permeability and/or temperatureregulation to enable the user's body to be at an appropriate temperatureduring sleep which in turn enhances uninterrupted, deep sleep for theuser to potentially maximize body rest and recovery effects duringsleeping periods. The textile structure deceived, moreover, permitsformation of air vents integrated into a single layer panel withoutdamaging the integrity of the textile structure (which occurs duringpunching).

In another embodiment, the bedding may include an activated orfunctional print applied to a surface of the panels forming the beddingcomponents 20, 30, 40, 50. Activated or functional prints are printscontaining compounds that interact with the user or the heat generatedby the user to insulate, absorb heat, generate and direct IR rays backto the user and/or control skin or air temperature surrounding the body.In a first example, ceramic materials capable of interacting with bodyheat are utilized. These ceramic materials include ceramic oxidematerials and non-oxide ceramic materials including, without limitation,silicon oxides or silica (e.g., SiO₂), zirconium oxides (e.g., ZrO₂),titanium oxides (e.g., TiO₂), aluminum oxides (e.g., Al₂O₃), magnesiumoxides (e.g., MgO), yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃), zirconium carbide (ZrC), andtitanium carbide (TiC), and combinations thereof. In a further example,selected ceramic materials described above are capable of absorbing heatenergy radiated by the user and using the heat to generate IR radiation(e.g., far IR radiation) that is directed back toward the user. Thesematerials are known as bioceramic materials.

A functional print can be applied as a layer onto a surface of a beddingcomponent 20, 30, 40, 50 in any suitable manner. In an exampleembodiment, the functional materials of the print are incorporated intoan ink composition that is printed onto one or more surfaces of thebedding component 20, 30, 40, 50. For example, a bioceramic compositionincludes a bioceramic material (described above) and a binder effectiveto disperse the components and/or to adhere the temperature reactivecomponents to a substrate (e.g., to the yarns/fibers forming thesubstrate). The binder may be an elastomeric material possessing goodelongation and tensile strength properties. Elastomeric materialstypically have chains with high flexibility and low intermolecularinteractions and either physical or chemical crosslinks to prevent flowof chains past one another when a material is stressed. In anembodiment, polyurethane (e.g., thermoplastic polyurethane such aspolyester-based polyurethane) is utilized as the binder. In otherembodiments, block copolymers with hard and soft segments may beutilized. For example, styrenic block copolymers such as astyrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEB S) block copolymer may beutilized.

In an ink form, the amount of bioceramic material within the ink canrange from about 2% by weight to about 50% or greater by weight. Forexample, the amount of bioceramic material within the bioceramic ink canbe in an amount of at least about 2% by weight, by at least about 5% byweight, by at least about 25% by weight, by at least about 30% byweight, but at least about 40% by weight, or by no greater than about50% by weight. In another example, the amount of bioceramic materialwithin the bioceramic ink can be in an amount of about 5% by weight toabout 15% by weight, or from about 8% by weight to about 12% by weight(e.g., about 10% by weight).

The bioceramic composition is applied to the substrate in a manner thatmaintains the integrity of the components and preserves properties ofthe substrate (the textile or fabric). In an embodiment, the bioceramiccomposition transferred to the substrate via printing process. By way ofexample, the composition is transferred to the textile or substrate viaa rotogravure apparatus including an impression roller, a gravure oretched cylinder, and a tank. The cylinder is engraved/etched withrecessed surface cells in a desired pattern. The tank holds thebioceramic composition. The apparatus further includes a doctor bladeoperable to remove excess composition from the cylinder. In operation,as the cylinder rotates, a portion of the cylinder becomes immersed inthe bioceramic composition stored in the tank. The composition coats thecylinder, becoming captured within the cells. The cylinder continues torotate, moving the coated cylinder past the doctor blade, which removesexcess composition from the cylinder. The textile is directed betweenthe impression roller and the cylinder such that the inner surface ofthe substrate (e.g., what will be the wearer-facing side of the apparel)contacts the cylinder. Specifically, the impression roller applies forceto the substrate, pressing the textile onto the cylinder, therebyensuring even and maximum coverage of the bioceramic composition.Surface tension forces pull the composition out of the cells,transferring it to the substrate. Once the composition is transferred,the coated textile may pass through one or more heaters to evaporate thesolvent, thereby drying the composition and forming the dry print layer.If a thicker coating is desired, additional passes through therotogravure apparatus may be completed.

An example process for printing a layer of a bioceramic material on asurface of a bedding component (e.g., on the lower surface 27 of thefitted sheet 20 and/or an interior surface 57 of the pillow case 50) isnow described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6. At 610, abioceramic ink material is provided, such as an ink comprising abioceramic composed of SiO₂ and/or TiO₂. As noted above, the bioceramicink can be formed by providing the bioceramic material in powder form(e.g., powder having a particle size on the order of about 10micrometers or less, such as about 5 micrometers or less, or about 1micrometer or less) within a suitable ink liquid formulation thatfacilitates suitable dissolution and/or dispersion of the bioceramicmaterial within the liquid formulation.

At 620, the bioceramic ink is applied to a surface of the beddingcomponent using a suitable printer. In addition to the above, furtherexamples of suitable printers are ink jet printers, screen printers,impression or foil printers, or any other conventional or other type ofprinter suitable for application of the bioceramic ink. The bioceramicink can be applied in any selected pattern or array and further in anyselected amount of coverage on the bedding component surface. Thus,printing of the bioceramic ink on the bedding component fabric surfacewill result in one or more covered areas on the fabric surface thatinclude bioceramic material and one or more non-covered/non-printedareas on the fabric surface (discussed in greater detail, below).

At 630, after application of the bioceramic ink to the bedding componentfabric surface, the ink is dried and/or set, resulting in the bioceramicmaterial being adhered to and integrated with the fabric surface.Depending upon a particular application and the type of bioceramic inkbeing applied, the drying/setting of the ink can be enhanced by heatingthe surface to a suitable temperature.

The process parameters of the printing process can be selectivelycontrolled so as to achieve a desired printed pattern of bioceramicmaterial on the bedding component fabric surface in any suitable amount.For example, surface coverage by the ceramic ink can be from about 5% toabout 90% of the total surface area, such as about 20% to about 80% ofthe total surface area, or about 30% to about 60% of the total surfacearea, or 50% or greater of the total surface area (or 50% or less of thetotal surface area). Further, the bioceramic material can be applied atany suitable thicknesses so as to achieve a desired amount of bioceramicmaterial within a given area. For example, surface coverage can beachieved that is from about 0.5 g/yd² (square yard) to about 30 g/yd²,such as from about 2 g/yd² to about 4 g/yd², from about 4 g/yd² to about8 g/yd², from about 4 g/yd² to about 6 g/yd², or from about 6 g/yd² toabout 8 g/yd².

It has been determined that, for the bedding components 20, 30, 40, 50,it is possible to provide a smaller amount of ceramic material byspreading the ceramic ink out to a larger surface area (e.g., 50% orgreater, 60% or greater, 70% or greater, or even 80% or greater coverageof the total surface area) while reducing the amount per area (e.g.,from about 4 g/yd² to about 6 g/yd², or even from about 2 g/yd² to about4 g/yd²) to achieve the same or even further enhanced sleep recoveryeffects as thicker coatings (those greater than 6 g/yd²). Thickercoatings affect not only the hand of the material, making it feelcoarse, but also the fabric's ability to drape. Decreasing an amount ofceramic material per area (e.g., decreasing the thickness or stacking ofceramic material in a printed layer and/or the g/yd² amount withinprinted areas) provides the benefit of reduction in scattering and/orenhanced focusing of IR light reflected and/or emitted toward the user'sbody, which in turn enhances sleep recovery properties for the beddingcomponent. For example, it has been determined that a printed bioceramiclayer on a fabric panel surface that covers about 80% or greater of thetotal surface area for the fabric panel surface and has a coverage ofabout 2 g/yd² to about 4 g/yd² provides the same or similar or even moreenhanced sleep recovery properties (e.g., reduced scattering and/orenhanced focusing of IR light reflection and/or emission) as compared toa printed bioceramic layer on a fabric panel surface that covers about50% or greater of the total surface area for the fabric panel surfaceand has a coverage of about 4 g/yd² to about 6 g/yd².

The application or print pattern for the functional layer can be of anysuitable types, such as a pattern of repeating and/or nested patterns ofsegments printed as a layer on the fabric surface. Any types of shapes(e.g., circular shapes, polygonal shapes, and irregular shapes) ofbioceramic material printed as layers on the fabric surface. The patternis a discontinuous pattern including printed areas interrupted bynon-printed areas, and vice versa. Printed areas are those areas coveredwith the function (e.g., bioceramic) composition (applied as, e.g., acoating, film or print). Non-printed areas are those areas free of thefunctional (e.g., bioceramic) composition (i.e., not covered by thebioceramic composition), thereby leaving the textile exposed. Thetextile includes the textile itself, or the textile with coatings otherthan the functional composition (e.g., an antimicrobial coating, adurable, water-resistant coating, etc.).

In general, the pattern includes an arrangement of printed segmentsspaced apart by non-printed segments, called hinges. Each segment andhinge may possess any dimensions suitable for its intended purpose. Inaddition, the segments and hinges may be ordered into cells or unitsdefining a repeating or random pattern across the textile surface. Byway of specific example, the bioceramic composition printed patternincludes substantially linear segments arranged in a spaced apart andnon-parallel manner in relation to each other to define selected angles(e.g., angles that are at 90° or greater, such as obtuse angles) betweenthe linear segments. Additionally, the cells may include concentricallyaligned or nested patterns of such linear segments. The nested patternscan include polygonal shapes (e.g., polygons having four or more sides,e.g., squares or rectangles, pentagons, hexagons, etc.) that are nestedwithin the same or similar polygon shapes. The linear segments can be ofthe same or similar width and/or thickness or, alternatively, can havedifferent widths and/or thicknesses.

As depicted in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the discontinuous pattern 700 includesan array of cells 701, each cell generally including nested hexagons.Specifically, each cell 701 includes a first or outer hexagon 702surrounding a second or inner hexagon 704, with the hexagons spaced fromeach other by a cell hinge 703. The outer hexagon 702 is formed by sixlinear segments 710A, 710B, 710C, 710D, 710E, 710F, with adjacentsegments being separated from each other by a segment hinge 715. Theinner hexagon 704 may be a series of individual segments or, asillustrated, one continuous segment. The inner hexagon 704 mayoptionally include a central space or dot 708 that is free of bioceramicprint. Each cell 701 is separated from adjacent cells by a border hinge720. As shown, the segment hinge 715 and the border hinge 720 may be anarrower, minor (or micro) hinge in comparison to the cell hinge 73,which is a wider, major (or macro) hinge.

As noted above, the hinges 703, 715, 720 are areas to which nobioceramic print has been applied, while the segments 710A-710F of thehexagons 702, 704 are printed areas. Areas that are printed aregenerally less flexible than non-printed areas. Accordingly, the textilestructure (the base fabric) is free to flex along the hinge linesrelative to the printed segments. With this configuration, the hinges703, 715, 720 maintain the fold or drape of the base fabric (and thusthe bedding component), allowing it to flex/move along the hinges 703,715, 720.

In example embodiments detailed below, it should be noted that thebioceramic material layer may be printed on a surface of a beddingcomponent 20, 30, 40, 50 that, in use, does not come in direct contactwith the user's body. For example, in certain embodiments, a bioceramicmaterial layer is printed on the lower surface 27 of the fitted sheet 20(e.g., as depicted in FIG. 2A), on one or more interior or enclosurefacing surfaces 47 of the comforter 40, one a surface of the top sheet30 that will be oriented in use so as to not be placed against a user'sbody (e.g., surface 34 of top sheet 30 as shown in FIG. 1) and/or on oneor more interior or cavity facing surfaces 57 of each pillow case (e.g.,as depicted in FIG. 2C). As depicted in FIGS. 2A and 2C, the pattern 700can be applied to the lower surface 27 of the fitted sheet 20 and/or theinterior surface 57 of the pillow case 50 (e.g., to some or all of thesesurfaces). In addition, this pattern can also be applied to the interiorsurface 47 of the panels 42, 44 of the comforter 40. In theseembodiments, the bioceramic material layer is located on a layer thatlies near but does not come into contact with the user's body, so as tomaintain the integrity of the bioceramic material layer while alsomaintaining a desired comfort level of the bedding components duringuse. Providing the bioceramic material layer at such locations onsurfaces of bedding components still results in the imparting ofbeneficial properties in relation to reflection and/or emission of IRlight toward the user's body as well as enhancing body wellness andrecovery.

As an alternative to (or in addition to) printing or applying thebioceramic material as a layer on the fabric surface of a beddingcomponent, bioceramic materials can also be incorporated withinfilaments, fibers and/or yarns of the fabric forming the beddingcomponent (e.g., integrated as part of a yarn material used to form abedding component, or provided within a mat of material within thebedding component). Some examples of bioceramic fibers, filaments oryarns that can be integrated within bedding components of the beddingsystem include, without limitation: a polyethylene terephthalate (PET)fiber including one or more bioceramic particles (e.g., silicon oxideand/or aluminum oxide) embedded in the core of the fiber, such as fiberscommercially available under the trade name CELLIANT® (Hologenix, LLC,California); a polyamide (e.g., nylon 6,6) yarn incorporated withbioceramic particles (e.g.,), such as a bioceramic yarn commerciallyavailable under the trademark EMANA® (Solvay Group, Belgium); and acombination of cotton and bioceramic yarn, such as is commerciallyavailable from SAMINA® (Germany).

For example, yarns including a bioceramic material can be provided forforming a woven, knitted, nonwoven or any other type of fabric materialused to form a bedding component. The number, types and placement ofyarns including bioceramic material within the fabric material can beselectively controlled to achieve a desired amount of bioceramicmaterial per unit of fabric (e.g., about 0.5 g/yd² to about 30 g/yd²) atselected locations within the fabric material. Further, the fabricmaterial forming a panel or sheet of the bedding component can includeany selected number of layers of intertwined yarns, with yarns includingbioceramic material being disposed at any selected locations throughoutthe thickness of the fabric material. The filaments including bioceramicmaterial can be provided within a fabric structure that defines aportion of a bedding component so as to be positioned at any one or bothsurfaces of the bedding component as well as disposed within the fabricstructure of the bedding component.

The fibers, filaments and/or yarns including a bioceramic material canalso be provided within the insulation material of the comforter 40.Referring to FIG. 2, the insulation material 46 disposed between panels42, 44 of the comforter 40 includes down material and/or otherinsulation fibers, such as polyester staple fiber material commerciallyavailable under the trademark STRATOFIBER®. Any other suitable types ofinsulation material can also be provided (e.g., wool). The insulationmaterial 46 further includes fibers, filaments and/or yarns including abioceramic material, such as fibers that include a bioceramic material.The amount by weight of bioceramic material within the insulationmaterial can be any selected amount to achieve a desired effect, such asbioceramic material in the insulation material in an amount from about5% to about 80% by weight of the insulation material, or about 10% toabout 60% by weight of the insulation material, or no greater than 50%by weight of the insulation material.

Bioceramic materials integrated within the bedding components (e.g., viathe above printed layer) may enhance body recovery for a user duringsleep by interacting with (e.g., reflecting and/or emitting) infrared orIR light (i.e., light having wavelengths from about 700 nanometers toabout 1 millimeter, such as far infrared or FIR having wavelengths fromabout 15 micrometers to about 1 millimeter, or near infrared havingwavelengths from about 780 nm to about 2500 nm), from a surface of thebedding material toward the user. Such infrared light interactions canbe beneficial for sleep recovery, e.g., by interacting with IR lightproduced by the user's body and reflecting it back toward the user'sbody during sleep, which in turn can provide beneficial effects such asincreasing blood flow and oxygen levels in the user's body, enhancing(e.g., speeding up) recovery time for a user after engaging in intensephysical activity (e.g., an athlete), and stimulating other metabolicprocesses of the user.

Bioceramic materials can be incorporated into any portion of any of thebedding components in any suitable manner such as described herein. Thebioceramic materials are ceramic materials that have certain beneficialproperties for human body wellness and recovery, including thereflection and/or emission of IR light (near IR and/or far IR) basedupon thermal energy generated by the user (e.g., during sleep). Byplacing bioceramic materials in bedding components, such as at alongcertain panel surfaces of bedding components and/or within certainbedding components (e.g., within the insulation of the comforter 40),the bioceramic materials can emit and/or reflect IR light toward theuser to enhance body recovery (e.g., by possibly increasing blood flowand oxygen levels in the user's body, enhancing/speeding up recoverytime for a user after engaging in intense physical activity, andstimulating other metabolic processes of the user).

The following, non-limiting embodiments provide examples of a sleeprecovery system including specific bedding components. It is noted thatthese examples are provided for illustrative purposes only, and thatvarious other embodiments, including different combinations of air ventsand/or bioceramic materials for different bedding components, are alsopossible and encompassed by the present invention.

EXAMPLE 1

Fitted sheet 20 includes printed bioceramic material on the interiorsurface 27 of the top panel 26, and air vents on the user-facing surface28 and/or the surface 27 of the top panel 26 (e.g., air vents can extendthrough the top panel 26 to both surfaces 27, 28 or, alternatively, airvents can be located on one surface 27 or 28 of the top panel 26);

Top sheet 30 includes air vents on one or both surfaces 32, 34 (e.g.,air vents extend through the top sheet or, alternatively, only to onesurface 32 or 34), and the top sheet 30 further includes printedbioceramic material disposed on a surface 34 of the top sheet (i.e., thesurface of the top sheet that opposes the user-facing surface 32);

Comforter 40 includes air vents on one or both surfaces 43, 47 of one orboth panels 42 and 44 (e.g., air vents extend through a panel 42, 44 or,alternatively, only at one surface 43, 47 of a panel 42, 44), printedbioceramic material is disposed on at least one interior surface 47 of apanel 42, 44 of the comforter 40, also the comforter also includesbioceramic fibers (e.g., Celliant fibers) within insulation 46 of thecomforter (i.e., insulation disposed within the cavity defined betweenpanels 42, 44 of the comforter); and

Each pillow case 50 includes air vents on one or both surfaces 57, 58 ofone or both panels 52, 54 (e.g., air vents extend through one or bothpanels 52, 54 or, alternatively, only to one surface 57, 58 of a panel)and a printed bioceramic material on at least the interior surface 57 ofone or both panels 52, 54.

EXAMPLE 2

Fitted sheet 20 includes printed bioceramic material on the interiorsurface 27 of the top panel 26, and air vents on the user-facing surface28 and/or the surface 27 of the top panel 26;

Top sheet 30 includes air vents (but no printed bioceramic material) onone or both surfaces 32, 34 of the top sheet;

Comforter 40 includes air vents on one or both surfaces 43, 47 of one orboth panels 42 and 44, printed bioceramic material is disposed on atleast one interior surface 47 of a panel 42, 44 of the comforter,bioceramic fibers (e.g., CELLIANT fibers) within insulation 46 of thecomforter (i.e., insulation disposed within the cavity defined betweenpanels 42, 44 of the comforter); and

Each pillow case 50 includes air vents on one or both surfaces 57, 58 ofone or both panels 52, 54, and a printed bioceramic material on at leastthe interior surface 57 of one or both panels 52, 54.

EXAMPLE 3

Fitted sheet 20 includes air vents (but no printed bioceramic material)on the user-facing surface 28 and/or the surface 27 of the top panel 26;

Top sheet 30 includes air vents (but no printed bioceramic material) onone or both surfaces 32, 34 of the top sheet;

Comforter 40 includes air vents (but no printed bioceramic material) onone or both surfaces 43, 47 of one or both panels 42 and 44, alsoincludes bioceramic fibers (e.g., Celliant fibers) within insulation 46of the comforter 40; and

Each pillow case 50 includes air vents (but no printed bioceramicmaterial) one or both surfaces 57, 58 of one or both panels 52, 54 ofthe pillow case.

EXAMPLE 4

Fitted sheet 20 includes printed bioceramic material (but no air vents)on at least the surface 27 of the top panel 26;

Top sheet 30 includes printed bioceramic material (but no air vents) ona surface 34 of the top sheet;

Comforter 40 includes printed bioceramic material (but no air vents) onat least one interior surface 47 of a panel 42, 44 of the comforter 40,also the comforter also includes bioceramic fibers (e.g., Celliantfibers) within insulation 46 of the comforter; and

Each pillow case 50 includes printed bioceramic material (but no airvents) on at least the interior surface 57 of one or both panels 52, 54.

EXAMPLE 5

Fitted sheet 20 includes air vents and bioceramic-containing filaments,fibers or yarns on or along the user-facing surface 28 and/or thesurface 27 of the top panel 26;

Top sheet 30 includes air vents and bioceramic-containing filaments,fibers or yarns on or along the user-facing surface 32 and/or thesurface 34 of the top sheet;

Comforter 40 includes air vents and bioceramic-containing filaments,fibers or yarns on or along one or both surfaces 43, 47 of one or bothpanels 42, 44 of the comforter, also includes bioceramic fibers (e.g.,Celliant fibers) within insulation 46 of the comforter 40; and

Each pillow case 50 includes air vents and bioceramic-containingfilaments, fibers or yarns on or along the user-facing surface 58 and/orthe interior surface 57 of the pillow case.

EXAMPLE 6

Fitted sheet 20 includes air vents, printed bioceramic material andbioceramic-containing filaments, fibers or yarns on or along theuser-facing surface 28 and/or the surface 27 of the top panel 26;

Top sheet 30 includes air vents, printed bioceramic material andbioceramic-containing filaments, fibers or yarns on or along theuser-facing surface 32 and/or the surface 34 of the top sheet;

Comforter 40 includes air vents, printed bioceramic material andbioceramic-containing filaments, fibers or yarns on or along one or bothsurfaces 43, 47 of one or both panels 42, 44 of the comforter, alsoincludes bioceramic fibers (e.g., Celliant fibers) within insulation 46of the comforter 40; and

Each pillow case 50 includes air vents, printed bioceramic material andbioceramic-containing filaments, fibers or yarns on or along theuser-facing surface 58 and/or the interior surface 57 of the pillowcase.

In a further embodiment, the active or functional layer may beconfigured for thermal management. A comfort or thermal regulationmembrane or layer is disposed on a surface of the bedding component(e.g., the surface facing the user). The thermal regulation membrane iseffective to alter the temperature regulation and/or moisture managementproperties of the substrate. Accordingly, the thermal regulationmembrane contains one or more system reactive components. By systemreactive, it is intended to mean a compound that reacts to environmentalconditions within a system. That is, the system reactive materials areselectively engaged in response to conditions of a wearer wearing thearticle of apparel. In particular, the compound absorbs, directs, and/ormitigates fluid (heat or water) depending on existing system conditions.For example, a component may initiate an endothermic reaction (e.g.,when exposed to water). By way of further example, a component may becapable of selectively absorbing and releasing thermal energy (heat). Byway of still further example, a component may be capable or conductingand/or directing heat from one location to another location within asystem.

In an embodiment, the system reactive components include a coolingagent, a latent heat agent, and/or a heat dissipation agent. The coolingagent is an endothermic cooling agent, i.e., it creates a system thatabsorbs heat. Specifically, the cooling agent generates an endothermicreaction in aqueous solution, absorbing energy from its surroundings.Accordingly, the cooling agent possesses a negative heat of solutionwhen dissolved in water. By way of example, the endothermic coolingagent possesses a heat of enthalpy in the range −10 Cal/g to −50 Cal/g.In particular, the endothermic cooling agent possesses a heat ofenthalpy in the range −20 Cal/g to −40 Cal/g. With this configuration,when the cooling agent is contacted by water (i.e., the sweat of thewearer), the cooling agent is capable of cooling (i.e., lowering thetemperature of) the water.

The cooling agent may be a polyol. By way of example, the cooling agentincludes one or more of erythritol, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol,sorbitol, and xylitol. In an embodiment, the cooling agent is selectedfrom one or more of sorbitol, xylitol and erythritol. Sorbitol is ahexavalent sugar alcohol and is derived from the catalytic reduction ofglucose. Xylitol is produced by catalytic hydrogenation of thepentahydric alcohol xylose. Erythritol is produced from glucose byfermentation with yeast. Crystalline xylitol is preferred. The coolingagent may be present in an amount of about 15 wt. % to about 35 wt. %(e.g., about 25 wt. %).

The latent heat agent is capable of absorbing and releasing thermalenergy from a system while maintaining a generally constant temperature.In an embodiment, the latent heat agent is a phase change material(PCM). Phase change materials possess the ability to change state(solid, liquid, or vapor) within a specified temperature range. PCMsabsorb heat energy from the environment when exposed to a temperaturebeyond a threshold value, and release heat to the environment once thetemperature falls below the threshold value. For example, when the PCMis a solid-liquid PCM, the material begins as a solid. As thetemperature rises, the PCM absorbs heat, storing this energy andbecoming liquefied. Conversely, when temperature falls, the PCM releasesthe stored heat energy and crystallizes or solidifies. The overalltemperature of the PCM during the storage and release of heat remainsgenerally constant.

The phase change material should possess good thermal conductivity(enabling it to store or release heat in a short amount of time), a highstorage density (enabling it to store a sufficient amount of heat), andthe ability to oscillate between solid-liquid phases for a predeterminedamount of time. Additionally, the phase change material should melt andsolidify at a narrow temperature range to ensure rapid thermal response.

Linear chain hydrocarbons are suitable for use as the phase changematerials. Linear chain hydrocarbons having a melting point andcrystallization point falling within approximately 10° C. to 40° C.(e.g., 15° C. to 35° C.) and a latent heat of approximately 175 to 250J/g (e.g., 185 to 240 J/g) may be utilized. In particular, a paraffinlinear chain hydrocarbon having 15-20 carbon atoms may be utilized. Themelting and crystallization temperatures of paraffin linear chainhydrocarbons having 15-20 carbon atoms fall in the range from 10° C. to37° C. and 12° C.-30° C., respectively. The phase transition temperatureof linear chain hydrocarbons, moreover, is dependent on the number ofcarbon atoms in the chain. By selecting a chain with a specified numberof carbon atoms, a material can be selected such that its phasetransition temperature liquefies and solidifies within a specifiedtemperature window. For example, the phase change material may beselected to change phase at a temperature near (e.g., 1° C.-5° C. aboveor below) the average skin temperature of a user (i.e., a human wearerof the apparel, e.g., 33° C.-34° C.). With this configuration, the phasechange material begins to regulate temperature either upon placement ofthe apparel on the wearer or shortly after the wearer begins physicalactivity.

In an embodiment, the paraffin is encapsulated in a polymer shell.Encapsulation prevents leakage of the phase change material in itsliquid phase, as well as protects the material during processing (e.g.,application to the substrate) and during consumer use. The resultingmicrocapsules may possess a diameter of about 1 to about 500 um. In anembodiment, the paraffin PCM is present in an amount of about 25 wt. %to about 45 wt. % (e.g., about 35 wt. %).

The heat dissipation agent is effective to conduct heat and/or directheat from one location to another location within the system (e.g.,within the membrane 150 and/or substrate 105). In an embodiment, theheat dissipation agent possesses a high heat capacity, which determineshow much the temperature of the agent will rise relative to the amountof heat applied. By way of example, the heat dissipation agent is asilicate mineral such as jade, e.g., nephrite, jadeite, or combinationsthereof. The heat dissipation material may be present in an amount (dryformulation) of about 30 wt. % to about 50 wt. % (e.g., about 40 wt. %).

The system reactive components are present with respect to each other ina ratio of approximately 1:1 to 1:2. By way of example, the ratio oftemperature reactive components—cooling agent, latent heat agent, andheat dissipation agent—may be approximately 1:2:2, respectively. Asindicated above, in system reactive component mixture, the cooling agentis present in an amount of from 15 wt. % to 35 wt. %; the latent heatagent is present in an amount of from 25 wt. % to 45 wt. %. Similarly,the heat dissipation agent is present in an amount of from 25 wt. % to45 wt. %.

In addition to the temperature reactive components, the thermalregulation membrane 150 further includes a binder effective to dispersethe temperature reactive components and/or to adhere the temperaturereactive components to the substrate 105 (e.g., to the yarns/fibersforming the substrate). The binder may be an elastomeric materialpossessing good elongation and tensile strength properties. Elastomericmaterials typically have chains with high flexibility and lowintermolecular interactions and either physical or chemical crosslinksto prevent flow of chains past one another when a material is stressed.In an embodiment, polyurethane (e.g., thermoplastic polyurethane such aspolyester-based polyurethane) is utilized as the binder. In otherembodiments, block copolymers with hard and soft segments may beutilized. For example, styrenic block copolymers such as astyrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS) block copolymer may beutilized.

The thermal regulation membrane may be applied in a manner similar tothe bioceramic composition (e.g., printing).

Thus, the sleep recovery system can include bedding components with avariety of different combinations of sleep recovery features (e.g.,different combinations of air vents and bioceramic materials, andthermal regulation materials), where the sleep recovery features can bevaried to modify the sleep recovery effects imparted to the user for aparticular application.

While the invention has been described in detail and with reference tospecific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in theart that various changes and modifications can be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof. For example, the beddingcomponents can include any suitable configurations, including any one ormore fabric panels with one or more surfaces (e.g., user-facing surfacesand/or underside surfaces or surfaces that oppose the user-facingsurfaces) that include one or more sleep recovery features as describedherein. Any suitable types of patterns can be utilized for printing of aceramic material on a surface of a fabric panel so as to facilitateenhanced recovery benefits for the user, where the ceramic material canbe of any suitable type(s) that facilitate IR light reflectivity and/orIR light emissivity. Further, the bioceramic material can be integratedwithin a fiber, filament and/or yarn in combination with any one or moreother suitable polymer components, where such fiber, filament and/oryarn can be integrated in any suitable manner within the beddingcomponent. Any combinations of air vents and/or ceramic material appliedto one or more surfaces of a bedding component can be configured for aparticular user application.

The air vents can be formed in bedding components at any selectedlocations and/or along any selected outer surfaces of the beddingcomponents. In particular, each of the bedding components, i.e., thefitted sheet 20, the top sheet 30, the comforter 40 and the pillow cases50, can include at least one surface (e.g., the user-facing surface, orsleep recovery surface as previously described herein) that includes airvents defined by the engineered apertures. In some embodiments, only onesurface (e.g., the user-facing surface) of one or more beddingcomponents includes a sleep recovery/user-facing surface that includesair vents. In other embodiments, both surfaces (e.g., the user-facingsurface and the surface that opposes the user-facing surface) of one ormore bedding components includes air vents.

In further embodiments, one or more bedding components can include airvents located in a selected pattern or array along the entire sleeprecovery surface of the bedding component or, alternatively, along onlyone or more selected locations of the sleep recovery surface of thebedding component. For example, for the top sheet 30, the bottom oruser-facing surface 32 (i.e., the sleep recovery surface) can includeair vents (e.g., air vents comprising engineered apertures 535 of thetype depicted for the textile structure 500 of FIG. 5) disposed in anarray or pattern (e.g., a grid-like array) along the entire surface 32or, alternatively, along selected portions of the surface 32. The airvents can extend through the fabric structure of the top sheet 30 suchthat both the bottom/user-facing surface 32 and the upper/opposingsurface 34 include air vents. Alternatively, the air vents may onlyextend partially through the fabric structure of the top sheet 30 suchthat only one surface (e.g., user-facing surface 32) includes the airvents. The other bedding components can include similar air vents alongtheir sleep recovery surfaces. For example, the fitted sheet 20 caninclude air vents disposed along one or both of the surfaces 27, 28 ofthe top panel 26 and/or along one or more surfaces of any of the otherside panels 22, 24. Similarly, the comforter 40 can include air ventsdisposed along outer surfaces (e.g., user-facing surface 43) and/orinterior surfaces 47 of the panels 42, 44, while each pillow case 50 canalso include air vents disposed along one or more exterior surfaces 58and/or one or more interior surfaces 57 of the panels 52, 54.

As previously noted, any combination of bedding components can includeone or more sleep recovery surfaces including air vents and/orbioceramic material disposed over selected surface portions (e.g., overthe entire area or only selected are portions of a sleep recoverysurface) as well as sleep recovery elements integrated in any suitablemanner with a fabric structure of a bedding component (e.g., asbioceramic fibers combined with insulation fibers or other insulationmaterial within a fabric structure of a bedding component, such aswithin a comforter as described herein). For example, a beddingcomponent can include a fabric panel with a first surface and a secondsurface that opposes the first surface. The fabric panel can include airvents and a bioceramic material printed layer disposed on portions ofone or both of the first and second surfaces such that the bioceramicmaterial printed layer and air vents are disposed together on the firstsurface and/or the second surface. In another example, the fabric panelcan be configured such that air vents and bioceramic material printedlayer are not disposed on the same surface. Such embodiments include afabric panel in which air vents are disposed on the first surface (e.g.,a surface that, in use, faces the user) and a bioceramic materialprinted layer disposed on the second surface (e.g., a surface that, inuse, faces away from the user). Further still, embodiments can include afabric panel in which air vents are disposed on both first and secondsurfaces (e.g., the air vents extend through the fabric panel) but thebioceramic material printed layer is only on one of the first and secondsurfaces. Even further, embodiments can include a fabric panel in whichthe bioceramic material printed layer is disposed on both first andsecond surfaces, but the air vents are only disposed on one of the firstand second surfaces.

The apertures 335, 340 are designed so as to extend through thethickness of the fabric material. In alternative embodiments, the airvents/engineered apertures can be designed to not extend through thefabric material but instead provide a reduced thickness in the fabricmaterial at the air vent locations, where the air vents can extend toone surface of the fabric material but do not extend through the fabricmaterial to an opposing surface of the fabric material.

It is further intended that the present invention covers themodifications and variations of this invention provided they come withinthe scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. It is to beunderstood that terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “rear,” “side,”“height,” “length,” “width,” “upper,” “lower,” “interior,” “exterior,”“medial,” “lateral,” and the like as may be used herein, merely describepoints of reference and do not limit the present invention to anyparticular orientation or configuration.

1. A method of forming a bedding component with apertures, the methodcomprising: obtaining a woven structure comprising a plurality of warpyarns and a plurality of weft yarns; forming a warp channel in the wovenstructure by dissolving a warp yarn of the plurality of warp yarns; andforming a weft channel in the woven structure by dissolving a weft yarnof the plurality of weft yarns.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein: thewoven structure comprises: a first edge and an opposed second edge, anda third edge and an opposed fourth edge; the warp yarn extends from thefirst edge to the second edge of the woven textile; the weft yarnextends from the third edge to the fourth edge of the woven textile; thewarp yarn overlaps the weft yarn at an intersection; and forming thewarp and weft channels further forms engineered apertures in the wovenstructure.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein: the engineered aperturesinclude: a first engineered aperture possessing a first set ofdimensions, a second engineered aperture possessing a second set ofdimensions; and the first set of dimensions differ from the second setof dimensions.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein: the woven structuredefines a surface; the method further comprises printing a compositiononto the surface of the woven structure, the printing compositionincluding particles operable to emit infrared light; and the printedcomposition is printed in a discontinuous pattern to form printed areasand non-printed areas on the surface of the woven structure.
 5. Themethod of claim 4, wherein the particles operable to emit infrared lightcomprise silica particles.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the beddingcomponent comprises a fitted sheet, the fitted sheet including a bodycomprising the woven structure, a side panel that extends along aperimeter of the body, and an elastic member coupled to the side panel.7. The method of claim 6, wherein the bedding component comprises twolayers that define a pocket between an internal surface of each of thetwo layers, at least one of the two layers comprises the woven textilestructure, and the ink composition is printed on an internal surface ofat least one of the two layers.
 8. A method of forming a beddingcomponent, the method comprising: obtaining a woven textile including aplurality of weft yarns and a plurality of warp yarns, wherein: theplurality of weft yarns includes a dissolvable weft yarn that isdissolvable in a solvent and an inert weft yarn that does not dissolvein the solvent, the plurality of warp yarns includes a dissolvable warpyarn that is dissolvable in the solvent and an inert warp yarn that doesnot dissolve in the solvent, and the dissolvable weft yarn overlaps thedissolvable warp yarn; exposing the woven textile structure to thesolvent to dissolve the dissolvable warp yarn and the dissolvable weftyarn, thereby forming an aperture in the woven textile; and forming abedding component with the woven textile.
 9. The method of claim 8,wherein the woven textile includes a plurality of dissolvable weft yarnsand a plurality of dissolvable warp yarns, the method further comprisingexposing the woven textile structure to the solvent to dissolve theplurality of dissolvable weft yarns and the plurality of dissolvablewarp yarns.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein: the woven textilefurther includes a plurality of inert weft yarns and a plurality ofinert warp yarns; and a ratio of inert weft yarns and inert warp yarnsto dissolvable weft yarns and dissolvable warp yarns in the woventextile is from approximately 10:1 to approximately 7:3.
 11. The methodof claim 10, wherein: the plurality of dissolvable weft yarns and theplurality of dissolvable warp yarns are formed of a polyesterdissolvable in water; the plurality of inert weft yarns and theplurality of inert warp yarns are formed of a polyester that is notdissolvable in water; and the method further comprises exposing thewoven textile to water.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein, afterexposing the woven textile to the solvent, the woven textile includes: afirst area comprising inert warp yarns and inert weft yarns; a secondarea including only inert warp yarns; a third area including only inertweft yarns; and a fourth area including no yarns.
 13. The method ofclaim 8, wherein obtaining the woven textile comprises weaving the woventextile by interlacing a plurality of yarns such that two or more yarnsof the plurality of yarns are oriented generally orthogonally to eachother.
 14. A bedding component for a mattress, the bedding componentcomprising a woven textile structure including a plurality of weft yarnsand a plurality of warp yarns, wherein: the plurality of weft yarnsincludes a dissolvable yarn that is dissolvable in a solvent and aninert yarn that does not dissolve in the solvent; the plurality of warpyarns includes a dissolvable yarn that is dissolvable in the solvent andan inert yarn that does not dissolve in the solvent; and the dissolvableweft yarn intersects with the dissolvable warp yarn.
 15. The beddingcomponent of claim 14, further comprising a discontinuous print layerapplied to the woven textile structure, the print layer includingprinted segments and non-printed segments.
 16. The bedding component ofclaim 14, wherein the print layer comprises ceramic material and abinder, and the ceramic material comprises silica.
 17. The beddingcomponent of claim 14, wherein each non-printed segment forms a hingethat permits flexure of the woven textile structure along thenon-printed segments, first printed segments connect to form patterns ofcells, second printed segments extend between and connect two or morefirst printed segments of adjacent cells, and the first printed segmentsare larger in width in relation to the second printed segments.
 18. Thebedding component of claim 14, wherein the bedding component comprises afitted sheet including a side panel portion bordering the body portionand extending along a perimeter of the body, and an elastic membercoupled to the side panel.
 19. The bedding component of claim 14,wherein the bedding component comprises two layers that define a pocketbetween an internal surface of each of the two layers, at least one ofthe two layers comprises the woven textile structure, and the printlayer is provided on an internal surface of at least one of the twolayers.
 20. The bedding component of claim 14, wherein the woven textilestructure includes yarns comprising a ceramic material incorporatedwithin the yarns.
 21. The bedding component of claim 14, wherein theplurality of weft yarns includes: a first dissolvable yarn adjacent asecond dissolvable yarn; and an inert yarn adjacent the seconddissolvable yarn on a side opposite the first dissolvable yarn.